Twisted Fairytales
by memory's marionette
Summary: Latest: The Little Mermaid. "Because she has lost her heart a long time ago." DISCONTINUED
1. Rapunzel

Summary: And so, she leads the blind prince home. AU

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><p><em><strong>Twisted Fairytales<strong>_

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><p>Reagan Holt does not exactly come from a family known for brains. The fact of the matter is that all scions of the Tomas clan are presumed to be less than stupid. It is no surprise then, that intelligence is not something they pride themselves on (or had, in many people's opinions). One of the qualities they are proud of, however, other than their almost supernatural athletic ability and determination, is their focus. And it is this very focus that is missing on today's bright morning, hence leading Reagan to crash into a horse, which by all accounts, is no tiny animal. But Reagan is strong as steel, so she is hardly injured.<p>

She rubs her sore posterior as she curses in a very unladylike manner and promptly decides to give the horse's rider a piece of her mind. After all, which fool stops right in the middle of a forest path? (Granted, it is a road usually devoid of any other users other than herself, and she is partly to blame for not paying attention, but she concludes that those details hardly matter.)

"Are you alright?" the rider asks her, though not unkindly. And although Reagan is usually as stubborn as a mule that sees everything she wants to do through, her resolve to start screaming and to possibly torture him physically dies a little as she sets her eyes on him, for he certainly appeals to her sense of aesthetics. (And she is certain that many other women will also concur.)

"I'm fine," she mumbles slightly in return, feeling very small in his presence, especially after seeing his fancy clothes.

The rider gives his steed a little kick in order to make it turn around, and it is only now that Reagan realises that he has not been facing her for all this time. "Ah, so you are over here," he says, albeit more to himself than to her. "My apologies for causing your fall." He gives her a lopsided grin. "However, I dare say that this is the first time that anyone has knocked into my horse."

She blushes slightly and hopes to the high heavens that he doesn't notice. "I wasn't paying attention," she retorts, her voice taking on a defensive tone, before she realises that he is most likely of higher rank than her in the social hierarchy and hurriedly curtsies and offers an apology.

Another smile appears on his face, this time friendly in nature. "May I ask for your name, fair lady?"

Reagan cannot help but laugh like a madman. A confused look etches itself onto the rider's face, for he does not understand what is so humorous.

She apologises again, as she wipes tears from the corner of her eyes. "I'm simply not used to people calling me a lady." Peals of laughter erupt from her again. "My stature is one of a lumberjack, for goodness' sakes, and I'm in breeches as we speak. Reagan Holt, a lady? I'm no lady, anyone can see that!" she exclaims and chuckles once more.

"I cannot," comes the quiet reply.

"Why? Are you blind?" she jests. Silence greets her little joke, and it hits her that she may have crossed the line. Her face turns deathly pale. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, Lord—"

"I am no lord; I am Prince Theodore from the Kingdom of Stars."

Reagan's mouth contorts into a variety of shapes as she realises that she may very well cause an international incident.

He seems to sense her discomfort, however, and tries to put her at ease with a smile. "Close your mouth, fair lady, for it may become a flytrap if you are not careful. As for the slip of the tongue," he says in a compassionate tone, "I will forget that it ever happened." A wistful look fleets across his eyes. "We all make mistakes, some more grave than others."

With trepidation, she questions whether his mistake caused his blindness, for curiosity is getting the best of her.

"It did. I once fell in love with a beautiful maiden named Rapunzel. She was not your average beauty, with her olive skin, amber eyes and raven-black tresses that spanned for miles. She lived in a tower, imprisoned by Mother Kabra, and she would let her hair down for me to climb up each day. Mother Kabra found out soon, however, and cut off her silky hair," he recalls vividly. "One day, I climbed up Rapunzel's hair, only to find Mother Kabra at the other end. She pushed me off the tower's ledge, and I subsequently fell into the bed of thorns below, causing me to lose my sight.

"I wandered the wastelands of that country for months, searching for Rapunzel and hoping that we could rescue each other from our own plights; I was her only salvation from Mother Kabra, and her tears were the only cure for my blindness. However, it seems that Rapunzel and Mother Kabra were in cahoots. They stole the only treasures I had with me at the time and went to the Gucci shop in the nearest town. After that harrowing experience, I simply took to my steed and rode on without ever looking back."

"But where are you going now?" she asks, wanting to do all in her power to help the prince in front of her. "Are you lost?"

He gives her a knowing smile, and she cannot help but return the favour once she sees the twinkle in his eyes. "Not all who wander are lost, Lady Holt."

"Oh, do stop calling me that; call me Reagan instead," she tells him. He is no longer astride now and though it takes him a bit of effort to locate her hand (which he notes is very calloused), he bends over to kiss it lightly, as per all his lessons back in the palace. "Oh, none of that, please," she protests. "It's not necessary. I don't even come from a noble family. I'm not even a lady!"

He stops what he is in the process of doing to look up at her. Even though he is blind, it feels like he sees right to her very core. "But does that mean that you do not wish to feel like one?" he questions, startling her, and in the end, she manages to shake her head. Because although she is built like a lumberjack, she is still a girl. "I see," he tells her, and she knows that he really does. "May I give you a ride to wherever it is that you are headed to?"

"Oh no," she insists, gesturing wildly and she cannot help but notice that her hand is tingling slightly. "I run because I like it, not because I'm in a hurry."

"Ah. So where were you running to, then?"

"Nowhere in particular," she responds.

"Is that so?" A thoughtful look flits about his face. "Then, maybe that is not the correct question." He gazes at her. "What are you running away from?"

And in that moment, Reagan, strong as steel, begins to crack.

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><p>"Is it to my understanding then, that your family absolutely abhors activities of culture and refinement?" Ted asks, once they have made it into a small clearing full of colourful flowers that make the ground seem like it is covered in iridescent irises.<p>

Reagan opens her mouth to deny his question, but closes it once it is clear even to her that her family loves hog-riding more than the town festivals. "... You could say that."

"And they are completely clueless as to your ability in dancing?"

She nods sadly. "There aren't exactly many opportunities to showcase it during the annual family hogwash. I don't dare dance in front of them; it's been a secret for as long as I can remember, because I know they'll laugh at me."

"That is ridiculous! Talent is not something to be abused through neglect." He stands up abruptly, which leaves her utterly confused. He holds out a hand in front of her, but a blank look still blankets her face. It takes her a while to understand what he is asking of her, but she is full of joy when she does.

She accepts his offer, and as she takes in the picturesque surroundings, it almost feels like nature is celebrating their first dance together, too.

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><p>"So what brings you here, Ted?" Reagan questions once they both have cooled down, and their beads of perspiration have disappeared along with the breeze. "Since you're not lost and all. Something special?"<p>

"Not quite," he tells her. "Someone special, actually.

And suddenly, her heartbeat starts racing at the speed of light, which makes her want to smack herself upside down, because it is not as though he is talking about her.

"A friend."

His answer takes her by surprise, for someone as nice as him surely has friends. Her rapid heartbeat slows down, and she feels slightly disappointed (for she somehow hoped that he was talking about her, no matter how unlikely that is), but keeps a smile on her face. "But don't you have any at home? You're a prince, for goodness' sakes. People should be clamouring to be your friend!"

"That is the exact problem. It does not matter how friendly someone is; I am still their prince, and they are still my subjects," he explains. "Besides which, they are all too frightened to approach me. I simply want someone to talk to, but no one dares to listen. Though I whisper to my horse at times, it is not as though it can respond."

She pats his shoulder consolingly. "Don't fret, Ted, for I'm sure you'll find one soon. I feel it in my bones."

"Actually, I already have," he says with a bright smile, and by what Reagan thinks is a miracle, she somehow understands him immediately and manages to return the grin.

"Come on, then," she tells him, as she takes hold of one of his hands. Her initial disappointment is gone, replaced by a newfound happiness, for being his friend is still something worth celebrating. "Any friend of mine must surely meet my family."

And so, she leads the blind prince home.

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><p>AN: I was debating on writing in somewhat Old to Middle English, but decided against it because I sort of got confused by it. In the end, I went with modern language with a more formal structure like how they do in recent publications of fairytales. Does it sound weird?

In the original series, the Holts caused the explosion leading to the Starlings' injuries, but here, Natalie and Isabel are the culprits. At first, it was Reagan as Rapunzel, but I wanted this to be more light-hearted and airy rather than being bogged down by revenge and all sorts of melodrama, due to the fact that Reagan did have a part in the explosion, unlike Rapunzel who was quite innocent in the Grimm Brothers' fairytale. (Plus, I sort of like the name Mother Kabra. :D)

I don't think the Holts are uncivilised, but they don't seem to be very appreciative of the arts.

PS. I own nothing from "The Lord of the Rings" or "The Horse Whisperer".


	2. The Little Mermaid

A/N: For Drew. C: I hope you feel better soon.

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><p><em><strong>The Little Mermaid<strong>_

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><p><em>Love at first sight.<em>

Isabel Vesper-Hollingsworth laughs at the notion. Such nonsense does not exist to her, and even if it does (which she very much doubts) she is wise enough to know that it does not end well.

Courtesy of her five older sisters, she is aware of all the dangers of letting your heart control your body and mind. And as the youngest princess of the undersea kingdom, she is forced to listen to the hoi polloi complain about how they have been betrayed by humans countless times at least once, during the blasted annual event held by the royal family in an effort to maintain an 'approachable' air.

Oh yes, she hears so many stories, that they have become a woven tapestry of tales that she can recall by memory, even though the memoirs are not at all hers.

And that is exactly why she is so unwilling to venture even the slightest bit closer to the titanic vessel that is sailing through the clear seas. She refuses to inch closer, though she knows that she is attracted to the prince aboard the ship. Isabel dismisses it as physical attraction and waits as the ship alters course, sailing back to their homeland. But though the prince has sailed away, his amber eyes still linger in her mind's eye.

She shakes her head, as though trying to consign the sight of the man to oblivion; it will not do to have a human plague her thoughts. In fact, Isabel knows perfectly well that it is best for a mermaid such as herself to find a merman of equal aristocracy and nobility; a merman like Broderick, for example.

Yes, her childhood friend who is also a part of the echelon of society is a good choice, and it helps that she does hold a few feelings for him—all of which are those that have never been acted upon before. She does not think that it matters much, for as future queen, any sane merman would be clamouring to be her king; no matter if only a king consort or not.

And as she is so immersed in her thoughts, Isabel does not even realize that she has bumped into the very person she is thinking about.

"Broderick," she greeted, with just a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"Isabel," he replies, in the melodic voice that has caused more than just a few cases of envy in the past. She cannot pinpoint exactly what it is, but Broderick seems to be very different today. It's the first time she has ever seen him so…happy. But for some reason, uneasiness washes over her, for she can't help but feel like something terrible is brewing.

"Why are you smiling so widely?" she asks, and it takes more than a little effort to keep the bitterness from colouring her voice.

His cheery mood is unaffected by her slightly sullen-looking face. "What do you mean? I'm always happy, am I not?"

_No, he doesn't. Not always. _

_Not around her._

Instead, she just purses her lips and questions, "Is there a reason for your joy?" She does so without any change in her facial expression, though she can feel jealousy spread like a bushfire in the outback, for he has never smiled so much before.

_Not with her._

And she ponders why something—or someone—else is able to make him feel this way when she can't. She is Isabel, after all, and it is of her opinion that her very presence can induce a state of happiness.

The look in Broderick's eyes looks vaguely familiar, and she realizes why. His answer only confirms her worst suspicions: "I think I'm in love."

Isabel feigns indifference, but a small part of her dies on the inside, for she knows that she is going to lose him somehow. "Who is she?" she asks curtly.

"A princess from a nearby land; Cora is her name."

She spots a small vial of fluid that is partially hidden in his left hand, and it dawns on her that they are only a bit more than a stone's throw away from the shoreline. "Are you going to meet her now?" He nods. "And that vial you're clenching is for her, I presume?" Though the timbre of her voice is nonchalant, rage flashes across her irises.

_Because she never receives even the smallest trinket from him._

"It is," he tells her, but Isabel can tell he is lying.

She lets him go on with his journey to the shore, all the while following him from afar. She conceals herself by hiding behind a jagged rock that juts out from the azure-looking sea near the beach, and watches as he drinks the fluid in one go. Slowly but surely, he transforms into a human; his tail being replaced by a pair of legs.

"What have you done?" she asks him in bewilderment, and he is so startled that he falls onto the sand. She repeats her question numerous times, but he does not answer, and she soon abandons him to search for the Sea Witch, who Isabel knows has something to do with this.

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><p>"Welcome! Welcome!" the Sea Witch, Ursula, calls out. "What can I do for you today, Princess Isabel? We have—"<p>

Isabel interrupts her, "What did you give Broderick?"

A wickedly sly smile spreads across Ursula's full lips. "Rather than what I gave him, are you not more interested in what he asked of me?" Isabel simply stares coldly at her. The Sea Witch clears her throat, knowing full well that the princess is not in the mood for any dilly-dally. "He asked me for a potion that enables him to live on land; his voice and tail in exchange for a pair of legs that will make him the best dancer that the country has ever seen."

"Why?" Isabel probes.

The Sea Witch shrugs. "The things that creatures do for love are unfathomable to me."

Isabel barks a harsh laugh. "It's not love. I know it isn't."

"Oh, really?" Ursula quirks an eyebrow. "Why, then, would your little merman friend accept the potion when he knows that every single step he takes will be like walking on broken glass, if not for the princess who loves dance and all things art?" The Sea Witch cackles. "He took it even though he knew that the princess is in love with the neighbouring prince." She gazes at Isabel, mirth dancing about in her eyes. "Broderick may be a fool, but who is the bigger one for loving him?"

Isabel shoots her the evil eye, and her voice turns gelid, because the one thing she hates the most is to be called a fool. "Do not forget that you are still under my family's rule. Do you wish to be banished to the nadir?"

The Sea Witch shrinks back slightly, for if the princess stays true to her word, Ursula will surely lose all her customers. "My apologies, Your Highness," Ursula grovels.

Isabel scoffs. "Spare me, for I know that there is not one remorseful bone in your body," she sneers to the half-human, half-octopus creature. "I shall take my leave now."

"Of course, princess. But before you go, may I interest you in one of my potions? It's freshly brewed," Ursula grabbed a small flask the size of a perfume bottle, "and it will help you greatly in the near future."

Isabel eyed her suspiciously. "Do not bother. I shall be—"

"Oh," the Sea Witch says, a huge smirk on her face, "but I insist." And she all but shoved it into the princess' hand.

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><p>It does not take long for Isabel to spot the ship she is looking for on the next day, because it is a huge vessel with the name of the prince carved into the side. She perches herself on a gigantic rock—her vantage point—where she knows the HMS Vikram will pass. And sooner or later, the man she seeks is standing on the hull of his ship, with his gaze locking onto hers.<p>

"Greetings," she annunciates. Vikram nods, acknowledging the mermaid in front of him. "I have a proposition for you."

For a good moment, she feels like he will only ignore her completely. "What will I gain?"

"Power." Isabel can almost see his ears prick up at the hearing of the word and his eyes light up slightly. "Call off your engagement to the Princess Cora and break her heart. Marry me instead, and I will become your ally," she explains.

He raises an eyebrow. "And what is so special about you?"

"I am the princess of the sea. If I am on your side, then so is the underwater world."

She can almost see the cogs turning in his head and his mind contemplating the pros and cons of simply capturing her while she is unprotected. But Vikram is as sharp as he looks and decides that it is simply too risky a manoeuvre, for even his largest army cannot win against the likes of the Kraken. Instead, he turns to look at her and asks: "Your name, princess?"

"Isabel," she replies contritely. He analyses her expression, and Isabel knows somehow that he is trying to decipher her intentions against Cora. "I hold nothing against her," she finally tells him, "but I hold the world against the mute man who loves her more than me."

"Was he a merman?" he asks, remembering the sight of the man who did little to move from Cora's side yesternight when the wedding date was announced. She nods once, affirming his suspicions. "He gained a pair of legs in return for his tail." It was more of a statement than a question.

"That, along with his voice."

"And should you turn into a human in time for our impending wedding—"

"So you are in agreement?"

He glares at her. "I may not be anymore, should you choose to interrupt me further."

She shows no signs of fear, and quirks an eyebrow instead. "As you were saying?"

He notes that she does not apologise and that her lackadaisical attitude infuriates him slightly, but he grudgingly puts the matter aside for now. "Should you turn into a human in time for our impending wedding, will you be losing anything that will be detrimental to communication between us two?"

"No," she answers nonchalantly, yet confidently, "the second item does not affect me at all."

_Because she has lost her heart a long time ago._

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><p>AN: When I wrote 'Ingenue', I felt that it wasn't completely finished. So this is pretty much the companion piece. Broderick is Ariel's counterpart here, not Isabel. This was inspired by the fact that I think Broderick lacks a voice, so to speak, around Cora.

I was almost going to use the version, where the protagonist turns into sea foam at the end, but that would entail much talk about a mermaid's soul, so I scrapped that idea. ^^;


End file.
